Gate-latch.



L. SWANK.

GATE LATCH.

APPUCATION FILED MAY 14. 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.,

2 SHEETSSHEET I 07a wuemb/oz L. SWANK.

GATE men.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I41 191]. 1,258,624. Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- LAFE SWAN K,

0F ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 DWIGGINS WIRE FENCE COM- PANY, OFANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

Application filed May 14, 1917. Serial No. 168,461.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFE SWANK, a citizen of the United States, residingat Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and useful Gate- Latch, of which the following is aspecification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a gate latch which iscarried by the gate itself, so that it can be applied before the gate isshipped, which cooperates with any suitable fence post, which permitsopening of the gate in either direction and causes an automatic latchingwhen the gate is closed, and which is made practically wholly of roughcastings with a minimum of machining, so that the cost of its productionis minimized.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. Figure 1 is anelevation of a gate and fragments of a fence equipped with a gate latchembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan of my gate latch, with the endbar of the gate and the gate post in section, showing in full lines thelatch in locking position and in dotted lines the latch with the gateopen but approaching closed position; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of mygate latch, together with a fragment of the end bar of the gate; Fig. 4is a vertical section through such gate latch, taken substantially onthe line &1 of Fig. 5; Fig.

is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The gate 10 is of any suitable construction, mounted by hinges 11 on acarrying fence post 12 so that its free end cooperates with anotherfence post 13, with which the latches carried by the vertical end bar ltat the free end of the gate cooperate.

There are preferably two latches, one near the top and one near thebottom, to prevent skewing of the gate by animals seeking to passthrough, these latches being mounted on the end bar 1 1. Each latchconsists of two mating clamping members 15 and 16 clamped on such endbar by clamping bolts 17 and when so clamped in place providing acircumferential groove 18 in which is mounted a ring 19 which forms thecarrying end of the latch member and is provided with a projecting fork20 which receives between its prongs the fence post 13 when the gate isclosed. The ring 19 may be turned in either direction about the axis ofthe end bar 1 1 to permit the fork 20 to be withdrawn from the fencepost 13 on either side of the gate is opened, but un less such ring 19is thus turned the fork 20 prevents the opening of the gate. In order toprevent turning of the ring 19 save when proper, such ring has twoopposite segments cut off to leave straight locking edges 21substantially parallel to the medial line of the fork 20, and with thoselooking edges 21 cooperate to locking bars 22 pro1ecting throughopenings 23 in the two sides of the clamping member 15 and pivotedtherein on cross pins 21. The free ends of the locking bars areweighted, so that they tend to drop to the position shown in Figs. 4.and 6, in which position they project down past the locking edges 2].and thereby prevent the ring 19 from turning. lVhen either locking bar22 is raised, it clears the plane of the ring 19, so that the rearflange 25 of such ring, opposite the fork 20, may pass under such raisedlocking bar to swing the fork 20 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,thus permitting opening of the gate toward the side on which such raisedlocking bar 22 is located. The raised locking bar rests on the flange 25when the ring 19 is thus turned, and slides thereon. When the gate isrcturncd to closed position, the fork 20 receives the gate post 13 andis turned thereby to the normal position shown in full lines in Figs. 2and By this movement of the fork 20 the ring 19 is returned to itsnormal position, and the raised looking bar 22 slides off the flange 25down past its associated locking edge 21 to prevent further turning ofsuch ring until one or the other of the locking bars 22 is again raised.lVhcn there are two latches, at the top and bottom of the gate, thecorresponding locking bars 22 of such two latches may be suitablyconnected at their free ends, as by wires 26 passing through holes inlugs 27 with which such free ends are provided.

In assembling my latch, the locking bars 22 are put through the holes 23and the cross pins as are inserted. Then the two locking members 15 and16 are put together and the ring 19 slipped in place in the groove 18,there being suliicient space between the members 15 and 16 so that thering 19 may be put in place in such groove 18 although it is made in onepiece. Then the clamping members 15 and 16 are spread apart sufiiclentlyto hold the ring 19 in place in the groove 18, and such two clampingmembers are slipped in place on the end bar 14: and claimped there bythe bolts 17.

I claim as my invention:

'1. A gate latch, comprising two mating clamping members for clampingupon the end bar of a gate, said clamping members being provided with anexternalcircumferential circular groove, a one-piece ring mounted insaid groove and provided with.

a pro ecting fork for receiving between its prongs the associated gatepost, said ring being segmentally cut away to provide two oppositelocking edges, and locking bars pivotally mounted in one of saidclamping members and on opposite sides of the plane of the gate andtending to swing by gravity into the plane of the ring to cooperat withthe respective locking edges to prevent t ing of the ring.

2. A gate latch, comprising two mating clam Ding members for clampingupon the end bar of a gate. said clamping members being provided with anexternal circumferential circular groove, a ring mounted in said grooveand provided with a projecting fork for receiving between its prongs theassociated gate post, said ring being segmentally cut away to providetwo opposite locking edges, and locking bar pivotally mounted in one ofsaid clamping members and on opposite sides of the plane of the gate andtending to swing by gravity into the plane of the ring to cooperate withthe respective locking edges to prevent turning of the ring.

3. Agate latch, comprising two mating clamping members for clamping uponthe end bar of a gate, said clamping members Copies being provided withan external circumferential circular groove and with internal pivotrecesses,a ring mounted in said groove and provided with a projectingfork for receiving between its prongs the associated gate post, saidring being segmentally cut away to provide two opposite locking edges,and locking bars pro ecting through holes in one of said clampingmembers above said ring and provided with cross pins cooperating withsuch pivot recesses to prevent the clamping members from being withdrawnand to provide a pivotal mounting, said locking bars tending to swing bygravity into the plane of the ring to co operate with the respectivelocking edges to prevent turning of the ring.-

4. A gate latch, comprising two mating clamping members for clampingupon the end of a gate, said clamping members being provided with anexternal circumferential circular groove and with internal pivotrecesses, a one-piece ring mounted in said groove and provided with aprojecting fork for receiving between itsprongs the'associated gatepost, said ring being segmentally cut away to provide two oppositelocking edges, and locking bars projecting through holes in one of saidclamping members above said ring and provided with cross pinscooperating with such pivot recesses to prevent the clampingmembers frombeingwithdrawn and to provide a pivotal mounting, said locking barstending to swing by gravity into the plane of the ring to cooperate withthe respective locking edges to prevent turning of the ring.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Anderson, Indiana,this 11 day of May, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

LAFE SWANK.

0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

Washington, I00 0.

